Washington, DC - Health Care for America Now (HCAN), the nation's leading grassroots health care advocacy organization, released the following statement from HCAN Executive Director Ethan Rome on today's Affordable Care Act grant awards of $109 million to 28 States and the District of Columbia that will help fight unreasonable premium increases and protect consumers:

"Only 18 months after it was enacted, the health care law is protecting families and small businesses from outrageous premium hikes. Thanks to this second round of grants to states, the era when insurers could jack up rates at will is over.

"This funding will make sure that insurance regulators continue to build technical expertise that enables them to spot unjustified rate hikes and take steps to protect the public. Along with new standards for medical-loss ratios, rate review is putting downward pressure on health insurance premiums and making them more affordable for consumers and small businesses."

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Health Care for America Now is the nation's leading grassroots health care advocacy organization. HCAN led the fight over the past two years to win passage of health reform and to keep Congress from being steamrolled by corporate special interests.